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Olson Memorial Highway, or Highway 55, is an urban highway running through North Minneapolis. It is one of many urban highways that divides communities, pollutes the environment, and creates a hazardous environment for nearby residents.
Olson Memorial Highway has a uniquely devastating history, as the construction of the highway was at the expense of a thriving Black and Jewish cultural corridor along 6th Avenue N that was home to dozens of homes, shops, businesses, and music venues.
Some of these concerns were to be addressed with the construction of the Blue Line Light Rail Extension on Olson Memorial Highway. The light rail project was set to bring modest but much-needed traffic safety improvements and high-quality public transit service. However, after years of planning and development, the Metropolitan Council re-routed the Blue Line Extension, and planned safety and transit improvements disappeared. Harrison and other Near North neighborhoods are now left to deal with the negative impacts of this broken promise.
Our Streets Minneapolis and the Harrison Neighborhood Association are advocating for highway land reclamation and the reconstruction of 6th Avenue North to address the historic and ongoing harms of Olson Memorial Highway.
We will continue to organize until the Minnesota Department of Transportation, the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority, the Metropolitan Council, Hennepin County, and relevant elected officials and partners give a public commitment to:
- Completing safety improvements by 2023
- Returning the land to the community and restoring the corridor to 6th Avenue North via a highway-to-boulevard conversion, with construction beginning by 2026
- Committing to the implementation of the Bring Back 6th Housing & Community Development benchmarks
The History of 6th Ave North
The land where Olson Memorial Highway lies today was once a vibrant, diverse business corridor along 6th Avenue North. The community had access to grocery stores, bakeries, entertainment, shopping, and more. Its numerous bars and music venues formed the heart of the Twin Cities jazz community. The area was also a cornerstone of the Jewish community in Minneapolis. By the end of the 1930s, hundreds of businesses and homes along the route were completely destroyed and replaced with a wide highway cutting through the neighborhoods.
Old 6th Avenue North
Mobile History Museum
A Vision for the Future
Phase 1: Immediate improvements to the Olson Memorial Highway Corridor by 2023
We call on the Minnesota Department of Transportation to commit to the following:
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Complete quick-build safety & multi-modal access improvements by 2023. We are recommending following quick-build safety improvements to Olson Memorial Highway between Lyndale Ave and Upton Ave:
- Restripe the roadway to the following configuration in each direction: 6' bike lane, 11' dedicated bus lane, 11' general purpose lane, 11' general purpose lane with dedicated left turn lanes where adequate right-of-way exists.
- Lower the posted speed limit to 25 mph
- Improve lighting for pedestrians
- Mark crosswalks at all intersections and mid-block crossings
- Add leading pedestrian intervals and adjust walk signal timing so everyone, including people who are mobility impaired and parents with small children, have adequate time to cross the street
- Use visual indicators, including artist-designed crosswalks, to mark pedestrian crossings
- Use paint and bollards to add pedestrian bump-outs on cross streets
- Study the restoration of 6th Avenue North via a highway-to-boulevard conversion and returning highway right-of-way to the community and create a project to implement these changes
Phase 2: Replace the highway with 6th Avenue North starting in 2026
We call on the Minnesota Department of Transportation to commit to the following:
- Converting Olson Memorial Highway into a restored 6th Avenue N commercial corridor, with construction beginning in 2026
- Put the remaining right-of-way in the publicly held land trust. This land will be used to create new affordable housing and business space and ultimately rebuild a walkable 6th Avenue North commercial corridor.
- Commit to the implementation of the relevant Bring Back 6th housing & community development benchmarks, including local hiring goals and community engagement best practices
As part of phase 2, we call on Hennepin County, the City of Minneapolis, the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority, and the Metropolitan Council to:
- Work in partnership with the Near North community to co-create a plan for reparative investment in the corridor
- Commit to implementing the Bring Back 6th Housing & Community Development Benchmarks to ensure that existing benefit from improvements.
Harrison and Near North were once centered around the vibrant 6th Avenue North. Today, the community lacks walkable access to grocery stores and local businesses, communal spaces, quality transit, and other core amenities. Instead of a highway, we could have:
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The Highway Continues to Harm Near North Communities
Today, Olson Memorial Highway is a 6-lane wide highway that divides Near North Minneapolis. The speed limit on the corridor is 40 MPH, crossing locations are poorly regulated, and it is identified as a high-injury crash street. In fact, the intersection of Lyndale Ave N and Olson has the highest crash rate in all of Minneapolis. This highway fails to serve people who do not drive. Additionally, people living nearby face some of the worst air quality in the Twin Cities area.
Housing and Community Development Benchmarks
Government agencies have created planning processes that overlook the voices of our immigrant, refugee, low-wealth, and BIPOC communities and cater to the economic interests of outside developers and affluent residents. These intentional choices about transportation projects have brought destruction and displacement to our communities — over and over again.
As we begin to engage in conversations around removing Olson Memorial Highway, we see the same entrenched processes and political interests once again threatening the families and small business owners who are the fabric of our beloved neighborhoods. Our vision is a community-centered planning process that commits to a racial justice framework and restorative approach that intentionally directs economic, social, and environmental benefits of highway removal to immigrant/refugee, low-wealth, and BIPOC communities along the project corridor — and beyond. We demand that changes on Olson Memorial Highway intentionally seek to repair historic harms and invest in the well-being of our neighborhoods.
Housing & Development
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Consent & Engagement
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View benchmarks
"Is this vision really possible?" Yes!
The Minnesota Department of Transportation has a “Project Demonstration Fund” that would allow them to permanently install Phase 1 safety improvements along Olson Memorial Highway in a matter of months. Additionally, MnDOT has access to funds from the federal infrastructure bill that could be used for an Olson Memorial Highway project. Instead of reconstructing the highway and furthering harm, this money should go towards repairing and reconnecting the Near North community.
"What about traffic impacts?" Studies show that much of the traffic disappears when a highway is removed. Instead, people change their destination, take a different route, or utilize another mode of transportation. This is referred to as traffic evaporation. The changes proposed in Bring Back 6th would only add a couple of minutes of driving time. Additionally, suburban commuters would have access to new transit and bike options. From improved health to economic outcomes, the benefits would far outweigh the costs, and the community would have an opportunity to sustainably reclaim land and spaces to restore their economic and cultural vibrancy. Would you give up a few minutes of driving time to help repair the community?
Contact Decision Makers
Minnesota Department of Transportation
Title | Name | Phone | |
MnDOT Commissioner | Nancy Daubenberger | [email protected] | |
MnDOT District Engineer | Mike Barnes | [email protected] | 651-234-7700 |
MnDOT | April Crockett | [email protected] | (651) 775-434 |
City of Minneapolis
Title | Name | Phone | |
Mayor | Jacob Frey | [email protected] | 612-673-2100 |
Mayor Chief of Staff | Mychal Vlatkovich | [email protected] | 612-673-3665 |
Director of Strategic Partnerships | Affordable Housing | Andrea Inouye | [email protected] | 612-673-2984 |
Senior Policy Aide | Becky Boland | [email protected] | 612-673-2100 |
Public Safety | Jared Jeffries | [email protected] | 612-368-0552 |
Director of Policy and Government Affairs | Peter Ebnet | [email protected] | 612-673-2156 |
Director of Economic Development & Policy Inclusion | Rebecca Fabunmi | [email protected] | 612-673-3711 |
Communications Director | Tara Niebeling | [email protected] | 612-673-3825 |
Office Associate | Tou Tou Khamsot | [email protected] | 612-673-3477 |
Press Secretary | Katie Lauer | [email protected] | 612-673-2100 |
Public Works Director | Margaret Anderson Kelliher | ||
Deputy Director and City Engineer | Bryan Dodds | [email protected] | 612-673-3061 |
Transportation Planning Manager | Nathan Koster | [email protected] | 612-246-0220 |
Transportation Planning Manager | Kathleen Mayell | [email protected] | 612-419-9835 |
Transportation Planning Director | Jenifer Hager | [email protected] | 612-673-3625 |
Minneapolis City Council
Title | Name | Phone | |
Ward 1 Council Member | Elliott Payne | [email protected] | 612-673-2201 |
Ward 1 Policy Aide | Benjamin Carrier | [email protected] | 612-673-2003 |
Ward 1 Policy Aide | Liam Davis Temple | [email protected] | 612-673-7920 |
Ward 2 Council Member | Robin Wonsley | [email protected] | 612-673-2202 |
Ward 2 Policy Aide | Qannani Omar | [email protected] | 612-673-7142 |
Ward 2 Policy Aide | Celeste Robinson | [email protected] | 612-673-3654 |
Ward 3 Council Member | Michael Rainville | [email protected] | 612-673-2203 |
Ward 3 Policy Aide | Ryan San Cartier | [email protected] | 612-673-3142 |
Ward 3 Policy Aide | Henry Jarvinen | [email protected] | 612-673-3126 |
Ward 4 Council Member | Latrisha Vetaw | [email protected] | 612-673-2204 |
Ward 4 Policy Aide | Betsy Brock | [email protected] | 612-673-3313 |
Ward 4 Policy Aide | Maggie Kohl | [email protected] | 612-673-7930 |
Ward 5 Council Member | Jeremiah Ellison | [email protected] | 612-673-2205 |
Ward 5 Policy Aide | Dieu Do | [email protected] | 612-673-3198 |
Ward 5 Policy Aide | Bethany Turnwall | [email protected] | 612-673-7140 |
Ward 6 Council Member | Jamal Osman | [email protected] | 612-673-2206 |
Ward 6 Policy Aide | Sean Broom | [email protected] | 612-673-3315 |
Ward 6 Policy Aide | Hamdiya Abdulahi | [email protected] | 612-673-7139 |
Ward 7 Council Member | Lisa Goodman | [email protected] | 612-673-2207 |
Ward 7 Policy Aide | Patrick Sadler | [email protected] | 612-673-3195 |
Ward 7 Policy Aide | Zach Schultz | [email protected] | 612-673-7144 |
Ward 8Council Member | Andrea Jenkins | [email protected] | 612-673-2208 |
Ward 8 Policy Aide | Deebaa Sirdar | [email protected] | 612-673-3569 |
Ward 8 Policy Aide | Zoe Bourgerie | [email protected] | 612-673-7144 |
Ward 9 Council Member | Jason Chavez | [email protected] | 612-673-2209 |
Ward 9 Policy Aide | Zaynab Mohamed | [email protected] | 612-673-7196 |
Ward 9 Policy Aide | Aurin Chowdhury | [email protected] | 612-673-7145 |
Ward 10 Council Member | Aisha Chughtai | [email protected] | 612-673-2210 |
Ward 10 Policy Aide | LyLy Vang Yang | [email protected] | 612-673-3197 |
Ward 10 Policy Aide | Yasmin Hirsi | [email protected] | 612-673-7169 |
Ward 11 Council Member | Emily Koski | [email protected] | 612-673-2211 |
Ward 11 Policy Aide | Melissa Hill | [email protected] | 612-673-3314 |
Ward 11 Policy Aide | Corinne Horowitz | [email protected] | 612-673-7143 |
Ward 12 Council Member | Andrew Johnson | [email protected] | 612-673-2212 |
Ward 12 Policy Aide | Kate Nelson | [email protected] | 612-673-2378 |
Ward 12 Policy Aide | Dylan Kesti | [email protected] | 612-673-7138 |
Ward 13 Council Member | Linea Palmisano | [email protected] | 612-673-2213 |
Ward 13 Policy Aide | John Freude | [email protected] | 612-673-3199 |
Ward 13 Policy Aide | Ruth Olson | [email protected] | 612-673-7147 |
State and National Representatives
Title | Name | Phone | |
Senator | Bobby Joe Champion | [email protected] | 651-296-9246 |
Bobby Joe Champion Legislative Assistant | Shemeka Bogan | 651-296-9246 | |
Representative | Esther Agbaje | [email protected] | 651-296-8659 |
Esther Agbaje Legislative Assistant | Shenika Chambers | 651-297-8387 | |
Congresswoman | Ilhan Omar | [email protected] | 202-225-4755 |
Senior Community Representative | Akolade Gbadamosi | [email protected] | |
Representative | Frank Hornstein | [email protected] | 651-296-9281 |
Frank Hornsetin Legislative Assistant | Dan Dodge | 651-296-9281 | |
Senator | Scott Dibble | [email protected] | 651-296-4191 |
Scott Dibble Legislative Assistant | Beth Ethier | 651-296-4191 | |
Representative | Fue Lee | [email protected] | 651-296-4262 |
Fue Lee Legislative Assistant | Blake Wilcox | 651-296-8803 | |
Representative | Sydney Jordan | [email protected] | 651-296-4219 |
Sydney Jordan Legislative Assistant | Matt Baumann | 651-296-9676 |
Hennepin County
Title | Name | Phone | |
Hennepin County Commissioner | Irene Fernando | [email protected] | 612-348-7882 |
Irene Fernando Communications and Policy Aide | Akhilesh Menawat | [email protected] | |
Irene Fernando Constituent Services and Policy Aide | Bill Emory | [email protected] | |
Hennepin County Commissioner | Marion Greene | [email protected] | 612-348-7883 |
Marion Green Policy Aide | Elie Farhat | [email protected] | 612-348-7125 |
Marion Greene District Aide and Scheduler | Laura Hoffman | [email protected] | 612-348-0863 |
Hennepin County Commissioner | Angela Conley | [email protected] | 612-348-7884 |
Angela Conley Policy Aide | Binta Kanteh | [email protected] | 612-348-5204 |
Angela Conley District Outreach and Scheduler | Shanese Reed | [email protected] | 612-348-3204 |